Mrs. Tiffany Bingham has made some drastic decisions in her life.  Mrs. Bingham spent most of her college experience as marketing major; that is, until she realized she had a very different calling.  After tutoring some special-needs family friends as a sophomore at Northern Illinois University, Mrs. Bingham knew she was passionate about teaching.  In her senior year of college, switched her major to special education.

Mrs. Bingham is a new special education teacher at Hinsdale Central, after working at Hinsdale South. Her love for helping special-needs students started at a young age.

“I always wanted to be in a profession that helps people, and I had a couple relatives with special needs, so that kind of guided me on where to go,” said Mrs. Bingham.

Mrs. Bingham’s love of teaching is rooted in developing a personal relationship with her students and watching them grow, both as students and as people. “Just seeing students come back, to let you know how much you’ve helped them. Knowing what you’re doing makes it worthwhile,” said Mrs. Bingham.

One of Mrs. Bingham’s favorite memories is receiving an e-mail from a former student, who struggled with personal issues. The simple e-mail, which thanked Mrs. Bingham for her help, made a huge impact on the teacher.

As Mrs. Bingham began to prepare for the start of her first year at Central, she looked forward to becoming involved with different groups and the community. However, because she only working in the afternoon, she anticipates it will take longer to really get to know her students. “I’ll miss a lot in the morning,” said Mrs. Bingham. However, she plans to try to come early some days just to get to know the people in the school better and to acclimate herself to the building.

Along with teaching at South, Mrs. Bingham has also taught at Plainfield and Rich Township High Schools. She now lives in Schaumburg, Illinois.

One last piece of advice that Mrs. Bingham wants to give her students is, “Always have someone to talk to share what’s bothering them. Be open. Prioritize. I’m always there to help.”